Home›Physical Medicine & Rehab› Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy and Stress Reduction Show Benefits for Oncology Nurses in RCT
Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy and Stress Reduction Show Benefits for Oncology Nurses in RCTMindfulness programs help reduce stress and fatigue in oncology nurses in small trial
Worldviews on evidence-based nursingPublished April 8, 2026Study authors: Wu WenMin, Zhang JingYi, Ye Yu, Duan FangPing, Wang JiaLang, Huang Wei, Gao YunPubMed ↗DOI ↗Editorial oversight: Dr. Ji-eun Park, MD · Brain, Mind & Pain
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Key Takeaway
Consider MBAT for oncology nurses' stress and fatigue, noting MBSR may be better for depression.
This randomized controlled trial enrolled 90 oncology nurses to compare two 8-week mindfulness interventions—Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy (MBAT) and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)—against a waitlist control. Assessments occurred at baseline, week 4, and week 8. The primary outcome was not explicitly stated, but secondary outcomes included stress, physiological markers, mindfulness, depression, fatigue, adherence, and satisfaction.
Both MBAT and MBSR significantly improved stress, physiological markers, and mindfulness compared to the waitlist control. For specific outcomes, MBSR showed a greater reduction in depression (β = -2.980, 95% CI: -5.427, -0.533, p = 0.017). In contrast, MBAT was superior for reducing fatigue (β = -11.582, 95% CI: -20.615, -2.550, p = 0.012). MBAT also demonstrated higher program adherence (93.3% vs. 73.3%, p < 0.05) and participant satisfaction (3.27 ± 0.45 vs. 2.40 ± 0.52, p = 0.01) compared to MBSR.
Safety and tolerability data were not reported. Key limitations include the single-trial design with 90 participants, lack of a clearly defined primary outcome, absence of long-term follow-up data, and uncertain generalizability beyond oncology nurses. The RCT design supports causal inference for the interventions versus control, but the evidence remains preliminary. For practice, these results suggest MBAT may be a viable, well-adhered-to option for addressing stress and fatigue in this specific workforce, alongside established MBSR programs.
Researchers wanted to see if mindfulness programs could help oncology nurses with work-related stress, anxiety, and fatigue. They studied 90 nurses, comparing an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy program to a standard Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program and a group that did not start a program right away.
Both mindfulness programs helped nurses feel less stressed and more mindful compared to the waitlist group. The standard program was slightly better at reducing feelings of depression, while the art-based program was better at reducing fatigue. Nurses also stuck with the art-based program more consistently and reported higher satisfaction with it.
This was a relatively small study that only looked at results right after the programs ended. We don't know if these benefits last over months or years. The study also only included oncology nurses, so the results might not apply to other healthcare workers or the general public. The findings suggest these programs could be helpful tools, but more research is needed to understand their long-term value.
What this means for you:
Two mindfulness programs helped nurses with stress and fatigue in a small, short-term study.
BACKGROUND: Oncology nurses are frequently subjected to significant psychological stress due to the demanding nature of cancer care, which negatively impacts their mental and physical health as well as the quality of patient care. Although Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction has been demonstrated to be effective in alleviating stress, practitioners often encounter barriers such as limited engagement and difficulty maintaining regular practice.
AIM: To enhance engagement and adherence, we integrated art elements into the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction framework, creating the Mindfulness-Based art therapy program, and evaluated its effectiveness among oncology nurses.
DESIGN: A three-arm randomized controlled trial.
METHODS: 90 oncology nurses participated (Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy group = 30, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction group = 30, waitlist controls group = 30) in an 8-week program. Stress, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and mindfulness levels were assessed at baseline, immediately after the fourth week of intervention, and immediately after the intervention concluded. Compliance and satisfaction were evaluated using attendance rates and satisfaction questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze general data; intervention effects were compared using one-way ANOVA and generalized estimating equations, and compliance and satisfaction were compared using independent samples t-test.
RESULTS: Both Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction significantly improved stress, physiological markers, and mindfulness vs. controls. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction better reduced depression (β = -2.980, 95% CI: -5.427, -0.533, p = 0.017), while Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy was superior for fatigue (β = -11.582, 95% CI: -20.615, -2.550, p = 0.012). Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy had higher adherence (93.3% vs. 73.3%, p < 0.05) and satisfaction (3.27 ± 0.45 vs. 2.40 ± 0.52, p = 0.01).
LINKING EVIDENCE TO ACTION: For oncology nurses, Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy is as effective as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for improving stress and mindfulness, while providing greater adherence, satisfaction, and more consistent fatigue reduction.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2300078124 (http://www.chictr.org.cn), 30/11/2023.
